Adjustable cap for medicinal dispensing device



Oct. 5, 1965 A. WAKEMAN 3,209,751

ADJUSTABLE CAP FOR MEDICINAL DISPENSING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 20.1960 INVENTOR AL FRED WAKE/WAN /7/5 .4Homes/5 United States Patent O 3Claims. (Cl. 12S-173) This application is a divisional application of mycopending application Serial No. 77,695 filed December 20, 1960, nowPatent No. 3,151,618.

The invention relates to a dispensing device for aerosol products, thatis, for products that are confined within a container under pressure anddispensed therefrom in the form of a spray. More particularly, theinvention relates to a dispensing device especially suited for use as anaid in the oral inhalation of medicinal aerosol products.

The administration of medicinal agents by inhalation has many advantagescompared with alternate methods of administration. Administration isquick and easy and may be eflected by the patient himself. Response tothis type of administration is prompt.

Ever since the introduction of liquefied gas aerosol products it hasbeen recognized that this type of package is particularly well suitedfor use in this type of drug therapy. However, the adaptation of theusual type of non-medicinal aerosol spray package to dispense amedicinal aerosol spray intended for internal human consumption presentsspecial problems not ordinarily encountered.

Since the medicinal spray is taken internally it is necessary to providesome means for controlling and confining the spray so that it may bereadily inhaled. It is also necessary to maintain a greater degree ofcleanliness about the package than is usually required and means must beprovided for preventing dust and dirt from contaminating the package. Inaddition, it is desirable that the product be quick and easy to use andone which may be used in a relatively inconspicuous manner as it isfrequently necessary that such products be used at periods when completeprivacy for the user can not be obtained.

In keeping with the throw-away aspect of this type of package it isnecessary that the container for the product be inexpensive.Accordingly, the means for achieving these objectives must be simple andmust not add any substantial costs to the packaging of the product. Atthe same time these means must be aesthetically pleasing in design so asnot to impair the sales appeal of the product created by the appearanceof the package.

The provision of a dispensing device for aerosol spray products in whichthese and other objectives are achieved constitutes the general objectof the present invention.

Briefly, and in general, the present invention comprises a dispensingdevice that is provided with means for producing and controlling thedischarge of the product from the container in the form of a spray.Suitable valve means, together with a manually operable actuatortherefor, are provided on the container to accomplish the discharge ofthe product as desired, the discharge orice for the product beinglocated in the actuator for the valve.

A suitable nozzle is provided externally of the actuator for the purposeof conning the product spray after it has left the orifice in theactuator. The nozzle is secured to the package, preferably at the valveactuator, so as to form a part thereof and is so adapted as to serve asa closure for the package. In order to maintain a unity in the design ofthe package the nozzle is arranged to form an upright continuation ofthe container portion of the package.

The discharge orifice for the package may be located anywhere on theperiphery of the actuator and preferably to one side of the verticalaxis of the package. The nozzle is secured to the valve actuator in amanner to permit pivotal movement of the nozzle relative to the actuatorwhereby the nozzle may be disposed with its axis substantially inalignment with the discharge oriice in the actuator. A pivotalconnection is accordingly, provided for the valve actuator and thenozzle at a point on the vertical axis of the package and the nozzle isadapted to also serve as a closure for the package. Pivotal movement ofthe nozzle relative to the actuator is effected after tirst removing thenozzle and closure from the package.

For the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may bepracticed, a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown inthe drawings and this embodiment will be described in detailhereinafter. However, it is to be understood that the general `anddetailed descriptions of the device shown in the accompanying drawingsare by Way of example only and do not define or restrict the scope ofthe invention, the claims appended hereto being relied upon for thatpurpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medicinal aerosol package employing adispensing device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the package of FIG. 1 with the dispensingdevice in operative position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the dispensing device of the packageof FIG. 1 with the device in nonoperative position; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the dispensing device of the packageof FIG. 1 with the device in operating position.

A preferred form of the invention is employed by the medicinal aerosolpackage shown in FIGS. 1-4. This package, comprises two principal parts,a container in which the medicine and a suitable propellant are connedunder pressure, and a nozzle 112 that serves as a closure for thepackage at the upper end of the container. A cap and valve assembly 114is provided for this package and has a valve with a hollow valve stem116 extending above the cap assembly.

A manually operable actuator 118 is provided for the valve stem and hasan internal passageway 120 adapted to t over the upper portion of thevalve stem 116 in frictional engagement therewith. The actuator 118 isprovided with an orifice 122 at one side and the orifice 122 connects,through passageway 124, with an extension 126 of the actuators internalpassageway 120 so as to provide a continuously open path in the actuatorthrough which the product and propellant escaping through the valve stemmay pass.

The nozzle 112 is hollow and is pivotally connected to the actuator 118approximately at the midpoint thereof, the connection being made bymeans of short pins 128, 128 provided on opposite sides of the nozzle112 which are pivotally journaled in suitable openings 130, 130 in theactuator 118. The openings 130, 130 do not extend through the actuator.One end 132 of the nozzle 112 is open and the diameter of the nozzle, atthis end, is substantially equal to that of the container 110 for thepackage, being just slightly larger than the diameter of the cap andvalve assembly 114 so that the open end 132 of the nozzle 112 may beinserted over the assembly to form a closure for the package. In orderto render the nozzle aesthetically pleasing, its shape is such as togradually taper inwardly towards its upper end 140, the end opposite theopen end 132.

A slot 142 is formed in the upper end 140 of the nozzle 112 and extendspart way down one side, the width of the slot being substantially thesame as the width of the actuator 118. The portions of the nozzle 112lying at either side of the slot 142 are, thus, disposed at the sides144 of the actuator 118. The actuator 118 is provided with a peripheralprojection 146 adjacent the top portion thereof which extends into theslot 142 formed in the nozzle. The height of the projection is greaterthan the depth of the slot and the projection serves as a means foreffecting relative pivotal movement between the actuator 118 and thenozzle 112 whereby the axis of the nozzle may be disposed substantiallyin alignment with the discharge orice 122 in the actuator.

In operation the nozzle 112 is normally disposed so that its axis issubstantially coincident wit-h the vertical axis of the package. When sodisposed, the nozzle 112 may be utilized as a closure for the package byinserting the open end 132 of the nozzle over the cap and valve assembly114. In this position the valve stem 116 extends part way into theinternal passageway 120 formed in the actuator 118. The position of theactuator 118 Within the nozzle 112 is such that the actuator 118 closes'off the slot 142 from the interior of the nozzle and a tight closure iselected whereby dirt is prevented from entering the actuator or the capand valve assembly 114.

When it is desired to use the package, lthe nozzle 112 is removed fromthe container 110. The actuator 118 is pivoted through approximately 90wit-h respect to the nozzle so as to dispose the internal passageway 120outwardly of the slot 142 formed in the nozzle 112 and to dispose theorifice 122 in the actuator substantially in alignment with the axis ofthe nozzle. The actuator 118 is then reinserted onto the valve stem 116.The user then places his mouth over t-he free end 132 of the nozzle 112,presses downwardly on the nozzle adjacent the actuator 118 and inhalesthe spray discharged through the orice 122 into his throat and lungs.When the actuator 118 and the nozzle 112 are in their operativepositions a clearance opening 149 occurs between the actuator 118 andthe bottom 150 of the slot 142 through which air may he drawn during theinhalation of the product bythe user.

Replacement of the nozzle 112 on the container 110 is facilitated by thefact that the lower edge portion 148 of the actuator 118 abuts againstthe bottom 150 of the slot 142. When this abutment occurs the internalpassageway 120 is automatically aligned with the valve stern 116 and thenozzle and actuator may be inserted over the cap and valve assembly onthe container without difiiculty.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for orally dispensing a product conned under pressure in acontainer having a valve for controlling the discharge of the producttherefrom, said device comprising a hollow nozzle having an open end, anactuator for the valve pivotally mounted in said nozzle adjacent an endopposite said open end so as to be pivotally movable with respect tosaid nozzle, said actuator having an internal opening for engagementwith the valve and a discharge orifice in communication therewith andpositioned at approximately a right angle thereto, the open end of thenozzle being adapted to lit over the container, said internal opening inthe actuator being disposed substantially coincident with the axis ofthe nozzle when the nozzle is placed on the container, and an opening inone end of the nozzle to accommodate pivotal movement of the actuatorrelative to the nozzle whereby the discharge orice may be pivotedthrough approximately to dispose the orifice substantially opposite theopen end of the nozzle and the internal opening at approximately a rightangle to the axis of the nozzle.

2. A dispensing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuator isprovided wit-h a projection extending through the opening in said nozzlewhereby pivotal movement of the actuator relative to the nozzle may beeffected.

3. In a package for orally dispensing a product conned under pressure ina container having a valve including a discharge stem for controllingthe discharge of product from said container, said valve also having aferrule by which it is secured to the mouth of the container to closethe container; an oral dispensing device comprising a hollow nozzlehaving an open end telescopically receiving said valve and valve stemand frictionally engaging said valve ferrule to provide a closureconstituting a smooth continuation of the side walls of said container;and an actuator engaging with said valve stern, having a discharge ductwith a terminal orice therein; said nozzle having a rear openingopposite said open end and said actuator being pivoted about an axisnormal to the axis of the valve stem and mounted in said opening formovement relative to said nozzle between a position in which thedischarge orifice of said actuator is disposed axially of said nozzleand substantially at right angles thereto; said actuator having acontoured portion which, in said right angled position of the actuator,is exposed at said rear opening of said nozzle, closing the same topresent an essentially continuous surface throughout the periphery ofsaid package.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,062,211 11/62Walden et al 128--244- RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR ORALLY DISPENSING A PRODUCT CONFINED UNDER PRESSURE IN A CONTAINER HAVING A VALVE FOR CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE OF THE PRODUCT THEREFROM, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A HOLLOW NOZZLE HAVING AN OPEN END, AN ACTUATOR FOR THE VALVE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID NOZZLE ADJACENT AN END OPPOSITE SAID OPEN END SO AS TO BE PIVOTALLY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID NOZZLE, SAID ACTUATOR HAVING AN INTERNAL OPENING FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VALVE AND A DISCHARGE ORIFICE IN COMMUNICATION THEREWITH AND POSITIONED AT APPROXIMATELY A RIGHT ANGLE THERETO, THE OPEN END OF THE NOZZLE BEING ADAPTED TO FIT OVER THE CONTAINER, SAID INTERNAL OPENING IN THE ACTUATOR BEING DIS- 